Coin Master makes its way to KU

The app “Coin Master” has made its way to KU. Hundreds of students in recent weeks have downloaded the game, playing amongst their friends. The app, published by Moon Active LTD, gives players their own village to be in charge of.

Players receive an in-game bonus for recruiting their friends to the game. Daniel Jameson, a senior at KU, and his roommates began adding their friends, and before they knew it, there were hundreds playing the game.

The free-to-play game first gained the attention of Jameson three weeks ago, and after introducing his roommates to the game, they began adding new players daily.

“It’s a simple, fun game,” said Jameson. “I don’t typically play these kinds of games, especially with school in the way. But since there really isn’t too much to do, I can’t help but pull up the game when I have a few minutes here and there.”

“Dan showed me the app on our way to class,” said Zachary Allen, a sophomore at KU. “I know a lot of my friends are playing it.” Allen mentioned that he began to show the game to his other friends and it quickly gained popularity. “Before I knew it, people I was showing the game to already had it. It was really crazy, actually.”

Andrew Baker, a sophomore, gave his opinion on the attention surrounding the app. “The app is easy to play and can be competitive. It lets you play against your friends, and it’s easy to get started. It’s just a simple, fun app that you can play for two minutes while you wait in line for food or something like that.”

According to Sensortower.com, the app saw 1 million downloads last month alone and has stayed in the top 250 most popular mobile games in the world for the past month.

David Shu, a software developer from Moon Active LTD, explained the mechanics of the game. “‘Coin Master’ takes the common slot machine game and combines it with what we call ‘mid-core gameplay.’ Basically, the app is made for casual gamers and includes a social sphere where you can attack and raid your friends.”

“Most slot machine apps are just that. The old game put onto your phone. But ‘Coin Master’ has more mechanics built into it. You have a base building part, a player versus player component, and a level progression. There are also live events and promotions that allow players to gain significant rewards,” Shu added.

The app appears to successfully combine all of these components and provide a deeper experience for its players. It has spread quickly through KU and adds new players daily.